Evelyn lifted her head and shot him a stony look in response. She figured it was about time Antonio grew the hell up and learned not to blab every damn thing.

She returned to cutting her croissant and popped a piece into her mouth, stomach jerking. As she crossed her legs under the table, her foot accidentally brushed Jake's and she choked and hastily took a gulp of orange juice. Coughing, she wiped her mouth with a napkin, ignoring Carrie's amused look.

Seth sat down at the other end of the table opposite Antonio, at a corner form Jake and Evelyn. His foot had felt Evelyn's brush past and he remarked, "Footsie after breakfast, huh, Red, Jake?"

Evelyn's eyes widened and she shot him a horrified look, turning her eyes to her plate as a blush rose to her cheeks.

Jacob coughed, choking on his food, and of course Evelyn's foot accidentally brushing his leg, didn't make the situation that much better. Jake grabbed his napkin spitting his food into it and crumpled it up next to his plate. "Really?" He said throwing a pointed look at Seth.

James wasn't even paying attention instead he had speared a strawberry onto his fork and was examining it for a few seconds before he ate it.

Ashlee and Antonio were both looking down and trying not to laugh while eating their breakfasts.

"Uh..." Carrie looked up and met Evleyn's wide eyes, unsure what she had said that was so direly offensive. Then she remembered Evelyn telling her abotu Jake beign overprotective about Lola. So she flashed him a reassurign smile ad said, "Don't worry, they only did last night, they were here - " she broke off confusedly, seeing Seth making extreme NO! gestures at her beside Jake. He mimed zipping his mouth. She faltered and looked back at the Spaniard. "Um, I mean...I just saw them on my way downstairs..."

Evelyn lifted her gaze to Jake for the first time. She wasn't sure what was going on. But she had the feeling he misunderstood. "Jake..." Wait...what if he didn't misunderstand?!

Evelyn reached over and grabbed Ashlee's arm. "No point in us all crashing into their room. Seth and Tony are enough," she said calmly, seeing Seth run after the beige headed twin and Jake. She figured Ashton adn Lola were about to be embarassed enough without adding additional spectators.

God knew she'd know what it felt like having yoru love life splashed all over the damn Internet.

Ashlee sat down looking at Carrie. "There is nothing wrong with sharing a bed, but when you say someone was sleeping together it usually means the other thing."

***

Antonio ran up to Seth grabbing Jake's other sleeve. "Jake come on! Don't kill my brother! They weren't sleeping together, Lola was just helping him to bed! Cause he was really drunk."

Jacob stopped and turned to face Antonio and Seth. "Wait... Lola was helping him get to his room cause he was drunk and they're not sleeping together?"

Antonio shook his head. "No, well they're not sleeping together. But uh... they are kind of dating." Antonio figured that was better to say instead of sleeping together. Cause if they were Antonio had no idea, and well at least to calm Jake down so he wouldn't kill Ashton.

"Wait hold the phone... they're dating? When did they start dating? I didn't even know that they liked each other!" Seriously why was Jacob finding out about all of this from everyone else except his own best friend?

"Speaking of which, how was the action between the sheets for you and Enrique?" Ashlee said cheekily.

James' eyes widened, as he tried to conceal his reaction. The last thing he wanted to hear about is if Evelyn and Jacob had hooked up! What the hell did Ashlee forget he was sitting right there? Then it hit him. Ashlee didn't know that he still had feelings for Evelyn, she was under the impression that they were only friends.

Then again usually Ashlee was a lot more tactful when it came to things like that, but he had to sit and pretend like that really didn't bother him. Because as far as this weekend went, it never happened. And James sure as hell wasn't telling Luke or Ashlee that he had feelings for Evelyn still.

So he just kept silent eating his breakfast, pretending not to pay attention.

***

"Sharing a bed together?" Jake was now looking at Antonio, why had he lied to him? "Why did you lie to me?"

Antonio bit his lip, "Hey I didn't know they were sharing a bed together! I just thought she was helping him. I was trashed last night!" Antonio defended himself.

Jacob narrowed his eyes at Antonio and decided it was time he went and found Lola and Ashton. So he could talk with her... and of course her new beau. "Excuse me." He said going up the stairs, wondering just which room they could have been in. Not like he had time to check all of them so he figured he'd start with the first room.

He opened one door on the left but the room was empty, he tried the one across from it but opened it and saw someone sleeping but it was just one person not two.

Jacob walked past an open door almost missing it, but there he saw Lola and Ashton sleeping together in the bed. To his relief, Lola had been clothed still and he could hear Ashton snoring besides her. Sure there had been nothing wrong with this since well him and Evelyn had pretty much done the same thing except well... he shook that thought of his head as he burst into their room. "RISE AND SHINE LOVE BIRDS!" Jacob yelled.

Lola's eyes fluttered open and then she jerked up when she Jake standing in their room. "Jake! What are you doing here?!" Lola said wondering just how in the hell he got here or what he was doing here?

"Oh you know just wanted to see how you and the new boyfriend are doing? You both look pretty cozy!" Jake said figuring he'd screw with Lola a bit.

Ashton's eyes flew open and he jerked up into a sitting position with a yelp. He threw up his hand to cover his burning eyes from the sunlight streaming in. "The fu - Jake?" he croaked sleepily. The Spaniard was standing in the doorway, looking thunderous. "What the hell, dude?"

And then he looked over and realized Lola was huddled up by his side. His eyes flicked to Jake again. Fuck. Fuck! Motherfucker. I'm so screwed.

James shoveled eggs into his mouth, chewing loudly hoping to tune out Ashlee's voice.

***

"So you two have been dating? How come I'm just finding out about this now? And I have to find you two in bed together! What the hell Ash, I thought we were boys?" Jake demanded angrily, of Ashton as he tried to maintain this little charade.

Lola got up and looked up at Jake. "Jake its not what you think, listen Ashton was drunk and I was helping him into bed. And I fell asleep in here with him. Nothing happened though I swear."

Jacob ignored Lola and went up to Ashton and glared at him right in the eye. "Listen here Clone!" Jake yelled in his face. "Cause I'm only gonna say this once, if you're gonna date Lola remember she's like my sister. So you treat her good, and so help me if I hear you do one bad thing, disrespect her or even look at her wrong. I'll chop your balls off. Do I make myself clear?"

Evelyn's face was growing redder and hotter every passing moment. "Um..." She tried to chew and swallow a bit of her croissant.

"I didn't mean it that way!" Carrie exclaimed to Aashlee. "And for the record, I've been BFF with her way longer! But she wouldn't tell because she doesn't kiss and tell, or, you know...whatever-and-tell." She winekd at Evelyn as she leaned around Ashlee.

Evelyn shot her a horrified look. "Carrie! No! Okay? I - n-no-nothing happened! I...I'm not even sure where Jake slept!" she lied quickly. She shot a sideways glance at James and returned to forcing croissant into her mouth, wishing the boys would return with Ashton's decapitated head already.

***

Seth raised an eyebrow at Jake. He'd seen Jake get mad before. Albeit thi was a little ridiculous. Ashton's eyes grew wide as he leaned back away from the livid Spaniard.

Damn, he really did not want his face ending up made-over by Jake's angry fists. He'd seen Jake get pissed before - the day Evelyn ended things last month was horribly vivid in his mind. He wasn't about to incur Jake's wrath if he could avoid it.

"Dude, I..." He shot Lola a glance and then looked back at Jake, ignoring his aching head. "I swear, it - it wasn't like that, I uh, I really was drunk, and I wouldn't treat her like anything less than a lady! You know I respect her --"

"You're a lady now?" Seth demanded of Lola with mock surprise. "Weren't you that chick at the street corner Tony and I passed last week?" Ashton leaned around Jake and threw Seth a glare.

"Hey! Eyes over here Romeo! I'm serious, you do anything to her and I'm gonna mount your head over my bed!" Jake yelled at Ashton to get his attention back to him,

Lola stomped on Seth's foot since his birthday was over she really didn't have to be that nice to him. "Jake! Calm down, nothing happened and he's been nothing but a gentleman to me. Quit acting like a dad." Lola said getting frustrated with Jacob! She appreciated that Jacob was concerned but sometimes he took it too far.

***

"Ev is lying! And hey I'm just as good a friend too! I let her live in my house, don't go there with me girl." Ashlee retorted to Carrie.

James had finished his food and decided to get himself away from this conversation. "I'll be right back, left my phone in my room." James excused himself from the table getting up and heading out of the dinning room.

Evelyn stared after James, horrified now that she was left alone with these lunatics. "Wait -" she began, and then sighed irritably. "Guys! I'm not lying! You can ask Jake, okay? I would - I'm not - I don't put out!" she exclaimed, glad nwo that she really hadn't. So far, it seemed like she and Jake were back to ignoring each other.

But maybe if they'd gone all the way, that tension would have ended, she thought a little regretfully. But she didn't want to suspend her morals for that!

"You did in Vegas!" Carrie reminded her. Like she really needed reminding. Evelyn threw down her fork, annoyed, and got up, heading out of the dining room with her bag and coat.

***

Ashton was gritting his teeth, not sure what hte hell to address first. Seth or angry Jake.

"Look, dude," he said, keeping his voice calm as he refocused on Jake. "I'm sure you can find plenty of other people to mount heads of theirs over your bed, but I really don't have any ill intentions, all right?"

"Ev wait!" Ashlee called out to her feeling guilty, she sighed then looked at Carrie. "This is your fault, you know."

***

Jacob figured he'd done enough damage so he cracked a grin at Ashton. "Listen I was just joking about the head mounting, just be good okay? And next time tell me when you've decided to date my best friend?" Jake said looking at Lola and Ashton.

Jake walked away from Ashton, and Lola looked up him. "Sorry I didn't say anything sooner Jake its just you had all that drama with Evelyn going on and it never seemed like the right time."

Jake flinched inwardly at the mention of Evelyn's name. No wonder Lola and Ashton kept their relationship a secret. "Its okay, um I'm gonna go get my phone. Left it in my room, sorry Ash was just screwing with you, congrats you two." Jake said walking past the others going to his room.

Evelyn ignored Ashlee and stalked up the stairs, seeing James at the top as he disappeared into the upper hallway. She headed after him, feeling guilt gnaw at her nauseous stomach.

As she reached tehe upper landing, though, she heard Jake's voice from one of the rooms James passed. She ignored it and walked on after him, not realizing Jake was leaving Ashton's room behind her.

"James!" she called after him. "Hold up?"

***

Ashton rubbed his aching forehead and collapsed sideways across the bed once Jake walked away. He glowered slightly at Jake's words. That was not fun. But whatever, he hadn't had his face beaten in, so he was going ot be grateful. "Right, thanks," he mumbled. And then frowned. What was Jake congratulating him on? He and Lola were just casually dating. They'd gone out like one time. He wasn't expecting her to commit to him!

But he figured he'd keep this between himself and Lola. So he said nothing, simply closing his aching eyes as Seth and Antonio filed out of the room after Jake. Seth turned in the opposite direction and went back downstairs.

James stopped he really didn't want to but he figured he would. "Yeah Ev?"

***

Lola let out an annoyed sigh, that was kind of stupid of Jake but whatever she had been used to it. Although honestly why he congratulated them was kind of odd. They had only gone out a couple times.

Lola pushed that thought aside, she closed the door this time and walked back over to the bed sitting near Ashton. "I'm sorry about Jake. He's just yeah you know." Lola said pushing some of Ashton's hair away from his forehead.

Evelyn hesitated, biting her lower lip. She wasn't sure what to say. Did she just apologize for Ashlee and Carrie's bluntness? But what if he didn't want to be reminded?

But she had to clear this up with him. It couldn't drag on like her stupid situation with Jake.

"Can...can I talk to you, like, maybe someplace private?" she asked uncertainly, biting her lower lip as she looked up at him, drawing nearer.

***

"Can't say I didn't expect it," Ashton said truthfully, recalling his panicked remonstrations to Antonio at the suggestion of letting onto Jake that he'd had a date with Lola back in January. "Actually," Ashton paused, opening his eyes and then closing them again because Lola's fingers were cool against his aching forehead, "I'm kind of shocked he didn't beat my face in. Must've gone well with Evelyn," he added cheekily.

Evelyn looked around, over her shoulder. She could see Antonio and Seht walking down the stairs. Where was Jake? Probably ahead of them. She turned bakc ot James. "Um, Ashton and Lola are still in there room." She looked aorund and pushed open a partially closed door, revealing one of the double beds. Their was a comfy couch and single-seater sofa right by the door, so she entered the room and turned to look at James, holding the doorknob, waiting for him to enter. "I'm just kind of sick of everything about me being public knowledge."

She had her jacket over one arm so she lifted her hand from the doorknob to automatically adjust her red blouse's low neckline, feeling slightly self-conscious. She kind of wished she wasn't dressed like a tart. Then again, her hair was a wavy mess and all her make up had been washed off, so she wasn't really looking all that stunning anyways.

***

"Sory," Ashton muttered. wincing at the memory. "I just...I tend to get carried away at Seht's birthday. I missed his party last year, Dane told me it was crazy. This was was a lot more dramatic, I guess."

***

"It is not!" Carrie said defensively. Just then, Seth and Antonio entered the lounge. "I didn't insinuate her getting all hot and heavy with Jake in front of James, you did!"

Seth paused as he was about to sit down, and then looked at them and said, "I have got to invite you guys over to hang out more often."

"Oh well at least I didn't blab to Jake about Ash and Lola!" Ashlee retorted to Carrie.

***

"Hmmm I got alcohol poisoning last year, so this year was better. But drama aside your drunken tales were amusing, definitely musical worthy." Lola snickered.

***

James walked in sitting on the couch. Evelyn had closed the door, and he just looked up at her. "So?"

Jake had watched James and Evelyn disappear, into one of the rooms. Evelyn had closed the door, Jacob was considering listening but he figured whatever it was for once he didn't want to know. So emerged from the empty room and went to go to his room.

"I did not blab! I gave an honest answer because Tony didn't know!" Carrie argued. Seth was watching this with Antonio. "Now she's probably going to avoid Jake again and they'll get all hot and bothered! Again!"

"Aww, no, are you kidding me?" Seth demanded. What the fuck was wrong with those two?! "I thought finally fucking each other's brains out would end it!"

***

Ashton squinted up at Lola. "Drunken tales...? Oh no... What - I'm sorry if I said anything inappropriate. I'm usually a fairly decent drunk," he added hastily.

***

Evelyn walked over and took the other seat, tucking her legs under her chair and smoothening her skirt over her thighs. "Look, I'll just say it flat out. I'm not going to pretend I have no idea w-what you feel like, or am assuming you're a-okay with everything. But I...I really don't put out; regardless of Ashlee and Carrie, you know, probably better than most guys, that I don't put out," she said, keeping her eyes firmly on him in an intense gaze.

"But it's just...I don' t know how you expect me to act, James. You tell me you like me and everything and next thing i know, I learn you tried to make Jake look like an asshole by flirting with me, hoping it'd get back to him. Then you confirm to me that yes, you will dump me like yesterday's takeout if I ever give it up to you. How do you expect a girl to sympathize and "give you a chance"," she used his words of the previous night, "when you take all those factors into consideration?"